After Jesus confirmed a couple of pivotal commandments (which were consistent with general rabbinical beliefs in His day), the “teacher of the law” or “scribe” who had originally asked Jesus the question responded to His reply.
“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”
Mark 12:32-33 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mrk.12.32-33.NIV
It seems that this teacher’s – or scribe’s – first question to Jesus was sort of academic. This sounds like the kind of question that a teacher would ask a student, although rabbis might also ask each other questions as a form of discussion. Here, though, the original questioner provided his own thoughts on the matter, adding to what Jesus had replied. Specifically, he called attention to the fact that there is no other God but the God, as well as the fact that God’s commands for us to love are even more important than offerings and sacrifices.
We might say today that this guy “added some color” to what Jesus had said. And, Jesus paid him a great compliment…
When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.
Mark 12:34 NIV
https://bible.com/bible/111/mrk.12.34.NIV
Here’s a question: was the teacher or scribe “…not far from the kingdom of God”, 1) because he understood these teachings, 2) because (as suggested by Black, p.217) God’s kingdom was about love for God and for others, or 3) because he was literally talking to the Messiah, the Savior of the world? Or, was it perhaps a combination of those? I don’t have an answer, but I encourage you to think through those possibilities (or any others that might occur to you), since each has implications for our participation in the kingdom of God.
At this point, Jesus had wisely answered three questions, of which at least two seem to have been meant to get Him into trouble, and that appears to have been all that His detractors had ready for Him that day. In verses 35-37, Jesus presented a bit of a “logic puzzle” to those listening to Him in the temple area, about how the Messiah could be the son of David and also David’s lord. It was his turn to ask a question, and that seems only fair.
In verses 38-40, Jesus warned His hearers about religious leaders who were more interested in themselves than others. Not only was this a refutation of the kind of people who were earlier trying to trap Him with trick questions, and a caution against being caught up with their teaching, but I think that it was also a counter-example to what it looks like to truly love God and love people.
So, there’s the challenge again: Are we willing to prioritize loving God and loving other people, even above other things that are less important in the big scheme of things (even if they feel really important to us)? Does our goal of love supersede our own selfish preferences? How do you invest in loving God and others, compared to other things that want to be your “god” in this world? Or, how does love rank in your life compared to practices that might be described as “rituals” or “ceremonies”? Good works aren’t bad, but if we don’t first love God and love people (both of which define choices and behaviors, by the way, and not merely feelings), we could be further than we realize from what the kingdom of God should look like.
From Sunday School lesson prepared for November 23, 2025
References:
- Scripture taken from the Holy Bible, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
- The College Press NIV Commentary – Mark, by Allen Black. © 1995 College Press Publishing Co.
Those Who Sin Differently 